WALTER JAMES HENDERSON III

Walter was born on July 21, 1947 in Little Rock, Arkansas to the union of Irma Lee and Walter James Henderson, Jr., the only child of their union. Walter grew up in a house where music danced through the walls. His father, Walter Jr., had a music collection incomparable to the greatest collector, having had records from jazz greats, Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. This music influenced him at an early age and guided him to a love of music to span his entire life.

Walter received his elementary education in Little Rock, Arkansas, graduating from both Dunbar Jr. High School and Horace Mann High School in 1965. When Walter was in seventh grade, at Dunbar Jr. High, he picked up a trumpet, taught under the instruction of band teacher, Sylvia Clay. It was then when his life changed forever, the love of music and the love of the blare of his trumpet would take him on a journey never imagined, and to places he would never dream. In 1970, Walter married Sharon Talley. To their union, four children were born, Walter IV, Damond, Kia, and Micah. Over the times and travels of life, Walter fathered three more children, Carlos, Jawuan, and Breanna.

Walter served in the US Army from 1969 to 1972, where he played in the 56th and 60th Regiment Army Bands. Even during his service, he enveloped music and honored his fellow servicemen by playing “Taps” for those who expired during duty. Walter continued his musical studies at Little Rock University (now University of Arkansas at LR) and Governors State University in University Park, IL, where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in 1973 and his Master’s Degree in 1977, both in Music and Fine and Performing Arts. At Governor’s State, he played with the jazz sextet, touring the world and winning the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival twice. After his service in the army, he settled in Chicago, IL, where he was an educator, teaching band and music at New Covenant Christian School and substituting in various schools with the Chicago Public School system. He traveled back and forth to Little Rock over the years, also substituting in the LR Public Schools, and eventually settled there in his later years of life.

Walter was a noteworthy jazz musician, known in Little Rock as a “jazz legend”. He had a brilliant, innovative, and keenly creative mind, and implemented his own style of musical composition. His creativeness flowed like a stream. His fluidity was effortlessly demonstrated whenever he was in the room. His first instrument, whistling, proceeded his actual appearance, you could always tell where he was through his whistle. He played several instruments, his treasured trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, piano, and clarinet. He played many musical engagements and won accolades and awards, all over the world and in his hometowns of Little Rock and Chicago, IL. He performed with the bands Inner Drive, Circo Verde, The Funkanites, Velvet Kente, and Amasa Hines.
He toured and accompanied various musical greats such as, John Stubblefield, James Leary, Buddy Guy, Pharoah Sanders, Art Porter, Bill Boris, Tyrone Davis, Muhal Richard Abrams, Bobby Irving, Yosef Ben Israel, James Perkins, Jack McDuff, The Four Tops, Little Anthony, Leslie Gore, and Lou Christie. Walter was well known for his poignant phrases, quotes, and quips about life.

He always had a saying for any experience you were going through. His animated spirit was always connected to a joke or funny story, but he also knew how to share sage advice to help others. He was a peculiar, but extraordinary man. His intellect and sensitivity surrounded the room where he stood. His love was known to many by bestowing upon you a “nickname”. He had his own names for everyone, that was his way of showing you that you were special and loved.

Walter loved spending time with friends and family, and the joy of shopping at second hand or thrift stores. He loved collecting cans, riding bikes around the neighborhood, working on his cars, and working in the yard. He shared his love, stories, advice, and teachings with his children and grandchildren when he could. Though music was his forever love, he shared the love he had in ways one could sometimes not really understand. Walter will be forever remembered as a leading light in the creativity of music and for the ways he touched family and friends.

Walter departed this life for eternal life on Friday, February 16, 2024. Both of his parents preceded him in death. Walter will survived by his children: Walter IV, Damond, Kia (Tywan), Micah, Carlos, Breanna, and Juwaun; his grandchildren: Kyla, Brendan, Isabela, Julian, Michael, Mari’hanna, Aria, Jordan, Corey, Nicholas, and Ladarrius; his sisters, Delca and Jocelyn and brother, Charles; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and friends.

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